


Break Even

by BleuBengal



Category: Glee
Genre: Angst, Break Up, Family Drama, Hurt/Comfort, Lack of Communication, M/M, Mpreg, Possible Character Death, Romance, Sick Character, Surprises
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-07-07
Updated: 2015-03-31
Packaged: 2018-02-07 21:33:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 11,467
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1914594
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BleuBengal/pseuds/BleuBengal
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's been three years since Kurt Hummel left home and he hasn't looked back. He's engaged and well on his way to being a successful fashion designer. When tragedy strikes, Kurt has to find a way to reconnect with his roots as well as the first man to ever break his heart and a little boy with his eyes that he never knew existed.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Worlds Apart

**Author's Note:**

> Um. A few things. Let's pretend that Lima is close enough to travel to OSU in like an hour's time on the train. Let's also pretend that Burt never married Carole and that in this world, male pregnancy is relatively normal. Keeping things simple. And before you ask, yes this is Klaine endgame. How could it not be? 
> 
> Also, I PROMISE this is the last new story I'm starting for a very, very long time.

Burt Hummel tore himself away from the football game playing on the tiny, hospital television when he heard a knock at the door. A grin spread across his tired face when he saw the boy he considered to be a second son standing in the doorway.

"Did you get it?", he asked eagerly.  
"Of course I did."  
"Then what are you standing around for, you idiot? Hurry up and close the door.", he said waving wildly and urging him inside. Burt immediately pointed the remote at the television and shut it off.

Blaine chuckled at his antics and closed the door to make sure they had privacy. The last thing they needed was a nurse or doctor walking in and catching them. He unzipped his messenger bag and pulled out the paper bag full of greasy and delicious contraband. Burt snatched the bag from his hands and tore into it; taking out a handful of fries and shoving them into his mouth. He moaned in contentment as the hot, crunchy flavor flooded his senses. It had been way too long. The doctors had him on a strict, "healthy" diet. Bird food was more like it; bland, tasteless and plain awful for an old dog like him.

"You're a godsend kid. What would I do without you?" Burt was on his fourth round of chemotherapy for Stage 3 prostate cancer. Even so, he was adamant about not being treated any differently or altering his lifestyle. He still ran his shop; working on cars well into the late evening despite his doctor's orders. 

The only reason he even opted for treatment was because of his family. He figured that if he only had a few years or whatever left, he wanted to spend it enjoying himself and the people he loved. Not bent over a toilet vomiting or bed ridden because he's too tired to move or breathe. He didn't want to spend the rest of his time here stuck in a revolving door of medicine, doctor's appointments, and hospital stays.

He'd done that with his wife and in the end, she still slipped away when it was her time to go. If he could do it all over, he would hold her hand and tell her that it was okay not to fight so hard. That they could miss one appointment here and there to stay at home and just cuddle or play with Kurt. Cherishing those moments as best they could. As a family.

Blaine unwrapped his scarf and slid off his coat, folding it neatly on the arm of the chair. He took his usual seat beside Burt's bed.  
"How are you feeling?", Blaine asked; concern lacing his voice.  
"I'm still dying if that's what you're asking.", Burt mumbled through a mouthful of cheeseburger.  
"Don't say that. The doctors think we have a chance at remission this time. The tests look good."

He snorted at that. "They'll say anything to keep me coming back here. It's all just another paycheck to them." Burt glanced over to see the look on Blaine's face and he knew him well enough by now to know that he was about to launch into one of his motivational, 'Don't give up' speeches. He wasn't in the mood. Not today, so he decided to change the subject.

"Where's Ollie?", Burt asked in between mouthfuls. "You said you were going to bring him by today. I miss that kid. He keeps me young." 

_Blaine and Oliver had lived with him since they came home from the hospital and Blaine's parents disowned him. Imagine his surprise when a devastated Blaine Anderson had shown up on his porch in the middle of the night with bags, a newborn in his arms, and a cab driver waiting for payment by the curb. He'd immediately paid the driver and brought them inside where a tearful Blaine recounted the whole story._

_How he and Kurt had tried to make their relationship work, but Kurt was so busy living his new life in New York that Blaine felt left behind and alone. The ignored phone calls, the short, curt conversations, the missed Skype dates. How he figured that Kurt just wasn't invested in their relationship anymore and he didn't have the heart to break it off completely knowing that Blaine was still at home waiting and in love with him._

_So one night, he turned to another guy for comfort after being hung up on by Kurt for the hundredth time; making the biggest mistake of his young life. He told Burt about flying to New York to confess what he did and them sleeping together one last time only for Blaine to wake up alone and have Kurt completely cut off all contact with him afterwards._

_How he tried everything he could to get in touch with Kurt after he found out he was pregnant before finally giving up. He'd hidden his pregnancy from everyone until he couldn't anymore and his parents pulled him out of school to finish his senior year at home. They'd arranged for a couple to adopt the baby without consulting Blaine and when he refused to hand the baby over, they left him at the hospital and told him he had a week to come get his things before they threw them all out. So there he was, begging Burt for a place to stay with Oliver and he couldn't say no. Especially when he held the little guy in his arms who was like a carbon copy of his son and his tiny fist wrapped around his finger._

_Blaine assured him that the baby was Kurt's and that they could research information on how to get the grandparent equivalent of a paternity test if he wanted. He admitted that he never actually slept with Eli, just fooled around a little. It meant nothing and Kurt had been his first. What he didn't know was that Burt didn't need the extra reassurance. He knew how much his son and Blaine loved each other and that Blaine wasn't the type of person to lie about something like that. He also knew that he would have taken them both in whether Kurt was the father or not. That's just who he was._

_In the beginning, Burt didn't worry Blaine about telling Kurt. It was hard enough for both of them dealing with a newborn. Blaine was barely 18 and he himself hadn't dealt with a baby in 19 years. They had to go out and buy everything needed for the baby while figuring out how to get Blaine set up at college in the Fall. Burt wasn't letting him give up on his education just because his parents weren't supportive and frankly, a pair of stuck up assholes. They both agreed that Blaine would commute to OSU's performing arts program three times a week and take as many courses online as possible. He would also work reception at the garage on a flexible schedule until he found something better._

_When Oliver was nearly three months old and they had settled in fairly well, he finally brought it up. Blaine asked Burt to let him find a way to tell Kurt on his own time. Burt wasn't happy about it at all, but he respected Blaine's wishes. He figured this couldn't possibly stay hidden forever. Finding out that he was a father was something Kurt didn't deserve to be told over the phone. Blaine and Kurt needed to hatch it out in person. Face to face, man to man._

_Kurt was expected home for Thanksgiving and Christmas in a few months anyway and he would inevitably find out then. Burt didn't count on Kurt not coming home. Not only for the aforementioned holidays, but not at all for the next three years. As time went on and years passed by, telling Kurt was no longer a priority for either of them._

_Blaine made the decision that it was time for him to move out and try it on his own a few weeks after Oliver's second birthday. Burt told him that he didn't have to go, but Blaine insisted. They still saw each other on the weekends and Ollie often found himself at the garage, sitting in the corner with an assortment of toys, snacks, and an iPad a couple of times during the week when Blaine was picking up extra shifts or going to class._

Blaine's face lit up considerably at the mention of his son and he smiled widely. "He misses you too. He had a little cough this morning so I kept him from school today. I promise I'll bring him by tomorrow." Oliver was currently enrolled in a three day program at the daycare so he could have more interaction with other kids his age.

Burt nodded. "You better. Who's watching him if you're sitting around with me shooting the breeze?"  
"Um...He's with Sebastian.", Blaine said suddenly looking very uncomfortable and shifting around in his chair. The eldest Hummel wasn't exactly Sebastian's biggest fan after all the stunts he pulled with him and Kurt when they were younger, but they were progressively getting better. Most days, they were even cordial. 

Burt sighed and resisted the urge to roll his eyes. "Blaine, relax. Smythe is a decent guy. I still think he's a cocky little s.o.b., but you know, you two are good for each other."

"Oh, we're not together. We're just friends.", Blaine insisted.  
This time Burt did roll his eyes. He was too old and sick to deal with people living in denial. "Whatever you say son. Have you gotten ahold of Kurt yet?"

Blaine's face fell and he looked down at the floor. "Not yet.", he said apologetically. "I left messages with his personal assistant and his agent. Either they're not telling him or he's ignoring them. I read online that he has a show lined up for Fashion Week this Friday. I'm guessing he's been busy getting ready. You know how he is."

Blaine was ridiculously proud of Kurt's accomplishments even after everything they'd been through. He was living out his dreams and that's all Blaine ever wanted for him. That's why he had encouraged him to leave Lima in the first place. He regularly updated Burt on what was going on with Kurt from what he could find online. It was sad and probably creepy that he was reduced to stalking Facebook and fashion blogs to hear any news about the father of his child.

"Too busy to come see his own father in the hospital?", he huffed; obviously put out. Burt Hummel loved his son more than anything. They'd been all each other had for so many years, but Kurt had morphed into someone he barely knew. Someone who only talked to their father twice a year for five minutes at a time. Elizabeth would probably roll over in her grave if she could see just how much their relationship had deteriorated.

"I'm so sorry Burt.", Blaine started. "This is all my fault. If I hadn't cheated on Kurt then-"  
"Stop it.", Burt cut in. "It's not your fault alright? You made _one_ bad choice when you were seventeen years old and you've been living with it ever since. I can't even tell you how many times I screwed up when I was your age. You were both kids. Hell, you still are. You didn't make Kurt abandon all of his friends and family. He did that all on his own. He's an adult.", the older man said firmly.

"I'm going to try Mercedes again. She's still in contact with Rachel. Maybe she can get through to him."  
"Yeah, maybe.", Burt replied, but Blaine could tell he wasn't holding out much hope.

Blaine began nervously wringing his hands, "It's just... I'm kinda nervous about him coming home.", he admitted. Nervous was an understatement. He felt sick every time he even thought about facing Kurt after all these years, but he knew the time had come. He couldn't hide anymore and honestly, he didn't want to. "He still doesn't know about Ollie. He already has enough reasons to hate me without finding out that I kept his son from him for three years."

"Then we're in the same boat. If he hates you for hiding it, then he'll hate me just the same."  
That statement tore at Blaine's heart. "I shouldn't have asked you to lie for me. He's your family. I don't want to mess that up."

"Hey. You and Oliver are my family too. Don't forget that. I only agreed not to tell Kurt because I thought you two would eventually pull your heads out of your asses and fix this. Kurt's mom always used to say it. Took me all these years to realize she was right.", he said in fond remembrance.  
"What did she always say?"  
"That I don't know shit.", he replied with a small smile. "Now. If we're done with this little heart to heart, do you think you could sneak me a soda from the vending machine? A man needs more than tea and water to survive."

Blaine stood up with a small smile, patting his pockets to make sure he had some change. "Sure. What kind?"  
"Surprise me.", Burt said with a shrug before turning the game back on and groaning loudly at the score.

When Blaine returned, he dropped the root beer he was holding when he saw Burt lying limply over the edge of the bed vomiting into the pale, green bowl set aside for that specific purpose. His body lurched forward with the force of every wave. Blaine immediately stepped into action. He ran over to the older man and rubbed his back soothingly as Burt coughed harshly.

It was almost routine for him now, checking the bowl for any signs of blood and sighing in relief when he found none. Carefully, he helped Burt lie back against the pillows and fed him small sips of water while waiting for the nurses to come.

Blaine knew he had to do something to get Kurt back home. He didn't know if he could handle this all by himself for much longer. And losing Burt, who was more like a father to him than his own had been, would be devastating. He didn't know if he could make it through that. What would he tell his son? Burt was the _only_ person they had.

It's ironic how he and Kurt used to romanticize death by watching 'Moulin Rouge' over and over and discussing what it would be like if they were the characters. In reality, death was neither fun nor romantic. It was absolutely terrifying.

☉☉☉☉☉☉☉☉☉☉☉☉☉☉☉☉☉☉☉☉☉☉☉☉

Kurt leaned back and nuzzled into the crook of the pair of strong arms that had wrapped themselves around him. "What are you still doing up? It's almost two in the morning.", an accented voice purred in his ear as soft lips pressed against the space just behind his ear.

He pulled away slightly and pushed his bangs back. "Still trying to figure out the order for my show. We had two models cancel and it's a complete nightmare.", he grumbled in frustration. Adam placed a hand on the table and leaned over to examine the jumble of sketches, paper clips, and model photographs laid out on the desk in front of them.

"These two?", he asked pointing out the two photos that Kurt had set to the side and not so subtly drawn X's over their eyes and had thumbtacks pierced through their hearts.

Kurt nodded. "Iyana and Noelle. Both of them have red hair. I need the color clash for my spring outfits." Adam chuckled and kissed the pout from his fiance's face.

"Come on. These can't be the only two ginger models left in New York City."  
"You'd be surprised. They're on trend this season. Diane Von Furstenberg has at least fifteen on roster for her lineup. Bitch.", he mumbled under his breath. "I was lucky to get these two."

Adam hummed thoughtfully. "How about you find two girls that are willing to dye their hair for the show?", he suggested. "I personally know how desperate some of these girls are. They'll do anything for a break."  
Kurt whipped around to face Adam excitedly. "Oh my god! You're a genius. Why didn't I think of that?"

He was soon lost in his work mumbling about fabrics and other things that Adam had no clue about. He was just a dancer. Fashion was Kurt's area. After being rejected from NYADA, he had thrown himself into his love for clothes during his Vogue internship. With the help of Isabelle, he was accepted into Parson's Design School. Now he was starting his own line and at 22, was one of the youngest people to show at New York Fashion Week this year.

"I'll leave you to it then." Adam gingerly kissed the top of his forehead and gripped his shoulder for a second. "Don't stay up too late, yeah?" Kurt hummed noncommittally and shooed him away.

An hour or so later and Kurt was sending out texts and emails to his team giving instructions for the next day. They didn't have much time left until show-day and he wanted them all at the studio at five a.m. He knew they wouldn't be happy about the early call time, but he didn't really care. He was only getting two hours of sleep himself. It was crunch time. This show was everything to him.

He clicked away on his iPhone and inadvertently stumbled across a few texts from his dad asking him to call. He ran a hand over his face and made a mental note to remember to call him as soon as he got a couple of minutes to himself.

☉☉☉☉☉☉☉☉☉☉☉☉☉☉☉☉☉☉☉☉☉☉☉☉

Blaine turned the key and let himself into the apartment he was leasing. It wasn't big by any standards, but it had two bedrooms and enough space for Ollie to run around. Not to mention that it was incredibly affordable. His heart warmed at the sight before him. Sebastian was sprawled out on the floor in a full suit minus the jacket and shoes with Ollie draped halfway over his torso. Ollie was in nothing but Spiderman undies covering his little tush.

Blaine whistled and Sebastian's eyes flew open. He looked over in temporary confusion at Blaine and then at Ollie's sleeping form. "Oh, you're home.", he said stretching.

Sebastian maneuvered Oliver into his arms and struggled to get off the floor without disturbing him. After a few tries, he was successful. Blaine walked over to the two and smoothed the wild curls from Ollie's face and felt his forehead to check for a fever. "How was he?"

"Awesome, as always. He was a little hot earlier so I stripped him and gave him some baby Tylenol. I think he'll be fine. He was banging trucks around all afternoon." He handed the sleeping boy over to Blaine. "I gotta run. I have a hot date. If I leave now, my chances of getting a drink thrown in my face for being late decreases by 30%.", Sebastian said while grabbing his jacket.

"You should have told me you had plans. I didn't mean to make you late, I just lost track of time at the hospital."  
"No worries. I'd rather it be you I was going out with anyway."

Blaine laughed the comment off. The thing about Sebastian was that Blaine never knew when to take him seriously or not. One minute he was talking about planning a future for the three of them and the next, he was banging some faceless stranger in his apartment. Sebastian was a great friend and he probably would make someone else really happy, but for Blaine he wasn't really boyfriend or husband material. After everything that happened with Kurt and now with Oliver to think about, he didn't want to take any chances and risk feeling more alone than he did now. 

Sebastian stroked the side of Blaine's face fondly. "I'm serious. You know it's always been you Blaine. Why won't you let me take you out on a real date?"  
"We already talked about this. I'm not looking for something casual. I don't want to bring a string of random strangers in and out of Oliver's life."  
"Who said anything about casual? And I'm not a stranger. We've known each other for years and we're already sleeping together. It makes sense."

Blaine huffed in annoyance and shifted Ollie to the other side. "We're not _sleeping_ together Sebastian. That was one time.", he said in reference to the quickie they had not two weeks before.  
Sebastian raised an eyebrow and folded his arms in front of him. "Oh really? What do you call New Year's then? And two months before that on your birthday? And that day when we went to-"  
"Okay!", Blaine cut in, scowling at Sebastian's smug smile. "I get it. And those don't count because I was drunk.", Blaine grumbled and Sebastian saw that he was putting that wall up again. The one he used to shut people out or when he felt like he was being judged.

Sebastian held his hands up in surrender. "Fine. I'm not pushing. I know you're still stuck on Hummel." He said Kurt's surname with nothing but contempt.

"I am not.", Blaine retorted indignantly although they both knew that was a big, fat lie.  
Sebastian gave him a small smile that held a hint of sadness behind it. "Could've fooled me."

Blaine shouldn't have been surprised when Sebastian leaned down to kiss him, but he was. "Later.", Sebastian called back like nothing had happened while walking into the hallway barefoot; shoes dangling from one hand.

Blaine shook his head and hefted Oliver up to get a better hold on him. Halfway down the hall, sleepy glasz eyes blinked open and stared at him. "Hi daddy.", a small voice whispered, mid yawn.  
"Hey buddy.", Blaine cooed. "Did you have good time with uncle Seb today?"

Oliver nodded and laid his head on Blaine's shoulder; rubbing his eyes with his small fist.  
"Sleepy daddy. Can we go in the big bed?", he asked meaning Blaine's king sized.  
"Yeah.", Blaine agreed, bypassing Oliver's room and going into his own.

Before he even settled his son under the covers, Oliver was already snoring. As soon as his little body hit the soft mattress, he stretched out and raised one arm over his head, thumb in mouth, freckles splattered across his chubby, pale cheeks. It was scary how much he looked like Kurt in that moment. He sighed and padded out of the room to get a snack and maybe a glass of wine. Definitely a glass of wine.


	2. Turning Tables

"I've been dreaming about this day since I was eight years old and modeling a pair of my mother's heels in the basement. Who would have thought that me, Kurt Hummel, from Lima Ohio would make it in a city like New York let alone get to Fashion Week. I just want to thank everyone who helped make this show a success. My team, the models, my assistant, the workers who let me come in after closing hours to pick fabrics, my seamstresses, the stylists. I apologize if I forgot anyone, but I love you all. Thank you for helping make my dreams come true. As you know, this was my first show and hopefully it's not the last. To fashion week and my new line!", he toasted.

Everything had gone off without a hitch, save for a near disaster with the shoes, and there was already some talk of him possibly being hired to do some freelance work for Gucci and Michael Kors. Kurt felt like he was on cloud nine. It was all so amazing, seeing his work moving down a real actual live runway with cameras, celebrities, and fashion critics. It wasn't Broadway. It was better.

"Oh, and I'm sure you've all noticed the guys with baskets and pink bow-ties by now. These are volunteers from the Stevens Center which is a shelter for lgbt youth that have been kicked out of their homes. Please open your hearts and give whatever you can. This cause is really important to me. Thank you in advance." Cheering and clapping from everyone joined by music from the DJ sounded through the room as he climbed off the small stage. Adam was right there by his side as he mingled, gave brief interviews, showed off his engagement ring and hugged his team; apologizing for turning into a slave driving fashion monster in the end. He spotted two familiar faces in the crowd.

"Rachel! Santana! I didn't know you were coming.", Kurt greeted from across the way quickly striding over to envelope his best friend in a hug. He'd missed both of their crazy ever since he moved out of the loft and in with Adam. He was so busy with his line and with Rachel working on Broadway and Santana doing whatever it is that Santana does, they never had much time to spend together anymore. When he invited them to the after party at his studio, he didn't really expect them to make it.  
"We couldn't miss your big day.", Rachel said. When he moved to hug Santana she allowed it for nearly three seconds before rudely shoving him back.

She adjusted her clothes and scowled. "Yeah, that's enough of that. I don't like to be touched."  
"So, what did you think of the show?", he chattered excitedly.  
"It was amazing Kurt. I loved it.", Rachel gushed.  
Santana bit into a creme puff and shrugged nonchalantly. "I guess it wasn't completely horrible. I've seen better"  
"Thank you Santana. Coming from you, that's almost a compliment."

Rachel and Santana exchanged a look and Kurt could see the silent argument taking place between them. "This one's all yours.", Santana said; pushing Rachel forward a little. Her eyes flickered nervously around the room.

"Um, can we talk to you about something? In private.", Rachel added.

Kurt's smile immediately faded. "Okay. What's going on? Why are you guys acting so weird?" Rachel had just opened her mouth to reply when Kurt felt a hand resting on the small of his back.

"There you are darling. Everything alright?", Adam asked looking around at the less than pleasant looks on all of their faces.  
"Yeah. Everything's great. I'm just going to talk with the girls for a minute. I'll be back."  
Adam pressed a chaste kiss to his cheek. "Well have fun, but hurry back to me."

Santana made gagging noises into her drink; only stopping when she was elbowed by Rachel.  
Kurt led his friends upstairs to the empty cutting room where they could talk in private. He closed the door behind them and folded his arms. "Spill it. Now."

"Kurt, I'm so sorry.", Rachel blurted out. "I didn't know, I swear. When Mercedes told me Blaine was trying to get into contact with you, I thought he was still trying to get you back or something. But you said you never wanted to talk to him again and you're happy with Adam now and you're engaged so I didn't even think about telling you and I'm just so sorry. Please don't hate me.", she rushed out before wiping the tears from her eyes.  
"Jesus Berry, get it together.", Santana grumbled.

"Rachel, you're not making any sense. I have no idea what you're saying to me.", Kurt said.

Rachel looked to Santana for help. Santana rolled her eyes.  
"What Weepy Streisand is trying to say is that your dad is in the hospital. He has been for a while." Kurt's stomach dropped like a ton of lead.

"No. He can't be.", he protested. "He would have told me. I just talked to him...", he trailed off because he couldn't even remember the last time he had a real conversation with his father.

"He is. You would know that already if you weren't too absorbed with yourself, your job and English muffin out there to notice.", she said referring to Adam. "Or... maybe you have noticed and you just don't care."  
"Santana, don't.", Rachel warned.  
"Why not? He needs to know what an asshole he's being."

The girls argued back and forth in hushed whispers. Kurt had long since checked out of the conversation, the blood rushing in his ears blocking out all noise. Santana's words cut through him like a knife. She was right. He was completely selfish and self absorbed. After Blaine, he just felt like he had to distance himself from everyone and everything that reminded him of home. That reminded him of Blaine. Because it hurt too much.

He'd been so busy living his new life that he never took the time to think about anyone else. Not even his own father who was the only real family he had left.

"What happened?", he whispered to no one in particular.  
"Kurt...", Rachel started. "It's the cancer. It's back."

☉☉☉☉☉☉☉☉☉☉☉☉☉☉☉☉☉☉☉☉☉☉☉☉

_"I love you Kurt. None of this changes the way I feel about you. You're still my one."  
"Do you think any of that matters to me?", he asked. Blaine couldn't find the answer. "You just don't get it do you? It changes the way I feel about you. Relationships are about trust. And I can't trust you anymore." Kurt swallowed thickly; feeling the tears pooling at the corners of his eyes before spilling over. He couldn't do this. He turned to leave, but Blaine grabbed his arm._

_"Kurt, wait. Let's talk about this." Kurt yanked his arm away and ignored the look of rejection and devastation in Blaine's eyes. "Don't.", he said shaking his head. "Don't touch me."_

_Blaine stared at Kurt's retreating form as he grabbed his coat and stormed out of the loft. He dropped onto the bed staring blankly into space._

_A few hours later, Blaine was still sitting on the bed when he heard the door open.  
"Kurt.", Blaine breathed in relief when his boyfriend, ex boyfriend? Blaine didn't even know where they stood, walked through the curtain._

_After what happened, he hadn't expected to see him again that night even though it was his apartment and Blaine was a visitor. He was prepared to leave and go to a hotel for the night, but he couldn't leave yet. Kurt had to know how sorry he was. He had to know that Eli meant nothing to him and that he would do anything, anything to fix what they had. To earn back Kurt's trust._

_The silence between them was thick. Blaine fiddled nervously with the crease in his pants not knowing what else to do. He wanted to throw himself at Kurt and hold him until it was all okay. Even if it took weeks or months, he just wanted to be close to him._

_Kurt slowly walked over to him and Blaine's breath caught in his throat as Kurt leaned over and kissed him. Softly at first and then more forcefully as if he were marking him._

_He fell back onto the sheets of the bed with Kurt on top of him. Confusion swirled in his mind, but he was too caught up in lust and full of hope that this wasn't the end for them that he ignored the conflicting emotions. Kurt slowly undressed Blaine and then himself, their eyes never leaving one another. Maybe this was Kurt's way of holding on or worse; his way of saying goodbye. His fingertips slid down Kurt's sweat sheened skin as Kurt burned through him._

_It was too much and not enough at the same time. When Kurt lost himself inside of Blaine and tried to move away, Blaine looked at him pleadingly and laced their fingers together. "Please.", Blaise croaked, voice barely above a whisper. He didn't have to say anything else. Kurt nodded and lay them down together; spooning him from behind._

☉☉☉☉☉☉☉☉☉☉☉☉☉☉☉☉☉☉☉☉☉☉☉☉

Kurt folded his clothes with much less care than he usually would. He was more or less packing up his entire closet because he didn't know how long he would be staying in Ohio and also because he needed options. It was nearly seven in the morning and he'd been up all night making the necessary arrangements. What started off as one of the best days of his life had gone sour just like that. All of a sudden, everything he worked so hard for didn't really seem important anymore.

He was moving a stack of sweaters into one of the suitcases when Adam finally spoke from his position on the other side of the bed. He'd been sitting quietly with his chin resting on one knee, just watching him. After Rachel and Santana had broken the news about his dad, they immediately left the party to pack and book a last minute flight to Ohio.

"Are you sure you don't want me to go with you? You shouldn't be alone."  
Kurt looked at him sadly and pulled over the case top, zipping it closed. "You're sweet to offer, but this is something I have to do by myself. Besides, you can't miss class. The choir needs you."

He didn't tell Adam that his father had no idea that he even existed let alone had asked Kurt to marry him. Somehow, he didn't think it would go over well if he showed up out of the blue with a new fiancé. He was hoping to ease Burt into the idea. Adam was great, he was fun, understanding, and Kurt really cared about him.

The thought crossed his mind that he might have to get married sooner rather than later like they'd planned. If his dad was really that ill, chances were he might not make it to the wedding if they put it off much longer.

"When are you coming back?"  
"I don't really know. It depends on how bad it is when I get there. There's the shop to think about, the workers, the house, hospital bills.", he listed off. He plopped down next to him and laid his head on Adam's shoulder. "I don't know what I'm going to do.", he admitted.

Adam pulled him into a comforting hug. "Everything will be fine. You'll see." Kurt nodded into his shoulder. "I'll miss you terribly. I won't even wank till you come home.", he joked.

Kurt couldn't help but smile at that. "I'll miss you too."

☉☉☉☉☉☉☉☉☉☉☉☉☉☉☉☉☉☉☉☉☉☉☉☉

Blaine was having a hard time maintaining his grip on his son. The little boy was practically skipping down the street waving and saying hello to every single person they passed; causing his dinosaur backpack straps to constantly slip down his shoulders.

"Hi!", Oliver cheerfully called out to an elderly woman. While Blaine stopped to adjust Oliver's bag, the woman exchanged small talk with Ollie inquiring about his name and age. Sometimes Blaine wished he didn't have such a cute and friendly kid if it meant he wouldn't have to constantly stop and talk to people or say a million, "Thank you's" when someone complimented him. He was going to be late for class at this rate, but it was probably his own fault for staying up all night. He was little better than a zombie when he woke up and had to stop at the Lima Bean for coffee just so he wouldn't end up face planting in 'Modern Technique' class that day.

Oliver held up four fingers and Blaine reached over to bend down one of them. "I'm three!", he said proudly

"My goodness. Three years old already. You're a big boy aren't you?"  
Ollie nodded enthusiastically. Blaine gave her an apologetic smile and told Ollie to say goodbye because they really had to get going.

When they finally reached the garage, Ollie took off after a quick hug and kiss from Blaine and settled himself in front of the break room television. "Long night?", Shelley asked. She was the other receptionist and she ran things whenever neither Blaine nor Burt was there.

"You have no idea.", he said with a sigh. "I'll be back by four. Call me if he's any trouble. He has snacks in his bag and there should be a lunchable and juice boxes left in the fridge." He didn't like feeding Ollie those because he thought they were extremely unhealthy, but definitely convenient for days when he didn't have time to make him a real lunch. Like today. Some of Burt's eating habits had clearly rubbed off on them.  
"I know the drill. Go on, get out of here.", she shooed. Blaine gave her a grateful smile and headed out the back.

"Hey Blaine. Wait up a minute.", a muffled voice called out. Blaine stopped and turned around to see one of the mechanics, Roy, sliding out from under a car. He walked over while the man cleaned his hands off on a rag. "I don't mean to bother you, but some of the guys are wondering if we're still going to get paid tomorrow seeing as how Burt's coming home tonight and all."

He knew this question was coming. Last month the checks had been a couple of days, alright more like a couple of weeks late, but no one really made a fuss about it. They were all like family and most of them had been with Burt for years. They worked hard and Blaine was determined to get them their money on time this month. That's the reason he had been up all night going over the expense log and writing up the payments. All he needed was Burt's signature.  
"Tell everyone not to worry. We're all set. I just need to have the checks printed and signed.", he assured him.

Roy nodded and offered him a ride to the train station when he saw him looking at his watch.

☉☉☉☉☉☉☉☉☉☉☉☉☉☉☉☉☉☉☉☉☉☉☉☉

The professor looked up from her desk at Blaine and smiled warmly. "Mr. Anderson. How can I help you?",  
"I was wondering if it's okay if I leave class early today? My dad is getting out of the hospital and I promised I would be there to pick him up and take him home."  
"Of course. Leave whenever you need to." She nodded sympathetically. "I hope he's feeling better."  
"He's tough. He'll pull through."

"I actually wanted to talk to you about something. Do you have a few minutes?"  
"Uh, yeah. My next class isn't until 12:30." Blaine pulled out a chair and sat down.

She opened the desk drawer and pulled out a large manila envelope. "I was going to give you this at the end of class with the others, but I'll just give it to you now instead." She held it out to him.

Blaine took the envelope and looked at her questioningly. "What's this?"

"It's an information packet for an audition in New York this August. A good friend of mine is involved with casting and he asked if I would send a couple of my best students to try out. I immediately thought about you. It's a closed audition, invite only.", she said stressing the last part. Blaine sucked in a breath. A closed audition was a big thing. It usually indicated one of the bigger productions. For Broadway or even a movie role.

"Wow. This is... thank you."  
"Look, I know you have a lot going on at home, but I really think this is right up your alley. You're talented, you're young and this is a great opportunity. I don't want to see you miss out on it."

Blaine nodded; taking her words into consideration. He hadn't been on many auditions, focusing his attention on school and Ollie. After Burt got sick, things were even crazier. He was already toying with the idea of him and Ollie moving back in. It would be cheaper and Burt needed him there. With Burt in and out of the hospital, he needed to be there to make sure the shop was still up and running. He went back and forth in his mind about whether or not he could even swing taking a week or so out to travel to New York.

"I promise I'll look into it. Thank you again. For considering me."  
"You're very welcome."

☉☉☉☉☉☉☉☉☉☉☉☉☉☉☉☉☉☉☉☉☉☉☉☉

Kurt took off his shades and hung them in the pocket on his shirt. "Excuse me. Could you tell me what room Burt Hummel is in?"  
"Sure hun. Are you family?"  
"Yes. I'm his son, Kurt."  
"I didn't know Burt had another son.", she remarked in surprise. "You look just like your father. You have the same beautiful eyes." She stood up and came from behind the counter. "Here, let me show you the way. It can be confusing. I get lost myself sometimes."

Kurt frowned, but followed her down the hallway anyway. He figured one of the younger mechanics, probably Matt, had been coming to visit him and they assumed that he was Burt's son.

"I think your brother is already here." She stopped in front of him and glanced over his shoulder before smiling. "Oh, there he is.", she pointed.

He turned around slowly; glasz eyes meeting very familiar hazel ones. Kurt's heart stopped.

"Blaine?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments and kudos are always appreciated and loved. Especially comments ;)
> 
> Btw, how did I do with my Santana characterization?


	3. Chapter 3

**B** laine walked from the bathroom, smoothing his shirt down in the front. His phone buzzed in his pocket and he pulled it out to see the familiar tiny envelope illuminating the screen. His finger slid over the unlock bar to open the message. Sebastian’s smirking face popped up in the corner as an icon.

**Your ass looks great in those pants.**

Blaine looked around curiously; expecting Sebastian to come lurking from behind the corner any minute. He had a habit of sneaking up on Blaine. Not seeing anyone but a few nurses and patients walking the corridors, he quickly typed a reply.

_Are you here?_

**Where’s here?**

_The hospital._

**Unfortunately no. I’m stuck at the office, but I should be done soon. Hey, can I sleep over tonight? I get lonely sitting in my apartment all by myself.** He barely had the chance to finish reading before another message came through.

**Please. I’ll bring Chinese ):**

Blaine smiled to himself. Sebastian was the only person he knew that wrote their smiley faces backwards.

_Sure. We’ll be home after I get Burt settled in at the house. Remember to bring noodles and sauce for Ollie._

**_Got it. Plain noodles and a crap ton of soy sauce._ **

Blaine went to pocket his phone again before frowning and thinking better of it.

_Out of curiosity, how do you know I look good if you’re at work?_

**Because you look great in anything..**.

Blaine ignored the beat his heart skipped at the compliment. He kept telling himself that he wasn’t ready for another relationship. In the beginning, it was because Ollie was an infant and he was too busy getting his life back on track. If he was honest with himself, it was mainly because he was still broken over Kurt. A large part of him still had hope for their relationship. That he would come home having already forgiven Blaine, find out about Ollie, and they could move forward as a family. Now Ollie was three years old, he was a year away from earning his undergraduate diploma, and running out of excuses. What was he waiting for? Sebastian proved he was trustworthy and dependable. He loved his son and Ollie loved him back. Blaine loved him too, he realized. The force of the revelation hit him like a ton of bricks.

He never really thought that _anyone_ would ever come close to what he felt for Kurt. Sebastian was right. All the nights they spent together curled up on the couch watching movies with Ollie. All the times he came from wherever he was or dropped whatever he was doing to pick him up or help out with Ollie. When Blaine had come home early and found out that Sebastian was coming over to check on Burt a few times a week during his lunch break while he was at school just to watch tv with him. The nights they spent together. It was all more than simple comfort and a release for his frustrations. It _meant something_ more.

He was shaken from his thoughts by someone trying to get his attention. One of the nurses, Carole. They were probably ready to go over Burt’s discharge instructions. As he moved closer, his eyes were drawn to a strangely familiar silhouette standing next to her. Navy pea coat, burgundy suede chelsea boots, and cuffed skinny jeans.

He stopped in his tracks when he heard his name fall from those lips.

“Blaine?”

“Kurt?”, he whispered in disbelief.

___________________________

There were so many things he wanted to say, but every time he opened his mouth, the words died on his tongue. A tension filled silence spread through the already suffocating hallway. His gut reaction was to take off and run, but his feet wouldn’t move. They stayed planted to the ground, his eyes never leaving Kurt’s face.

Carole, noticing that something wasn’t quite right, quietly excused herself. Not that either of them really noticed. She walked away, looking back towards them a few times in curiosity. Just when Blaine thought he couldn’t possibly bear the silence anymore, Kurt spoke. “What are you doing here?”, he asked and Blaine could read the tension in his shoulders.

He cleared his throat behind his hand. “Burt asked me to drive him home from the hospital.", he replied numbly. 

Kurt stared at him with a confused expression which was quickly masked with something unreadable. Kurt was good at that, hiding his emotions.

“I’m not sure what’s going on and thank you for trying to help my dad, but I think you should leave. I have everything under control.” Blaine felt smaller than an ant under Kurt’s intense stare. Like he was the outsider instead of Kurt who’d been gone for almost four years now.

He was just about to protest when the door to Burt’s room flew open and Ollie barreled out, wearing Burt’s baseball cap on backwards. It was like watching a train wreck in slow motion and he felt his mouth go completely dry. Hot panic surged through him. He wasn’t ready to let Kurt find out about Oliver. Not like this.

Before he could react, Ollie was grabbing the side of his pant leg, completely oblivious to what was happening. He beckoned Blaine to pick him up which snapped him from his stupor. He instantly went into father mode. Ollie cupped his small hands around Blaine’s ear. “Daddy, Pop wants to know what’s taking so damn long?”, he squeaked loudly. He hadn’t mastered the art of whispering just yet.

Blaine sighed. He was still trying to get the three year old to understand that he shouldn’t repeat anything Burt said. _Ever_. Ollie was studying Kurt with a look of innocent curiosity. They had taken special care not to discuss Kurt around Ollie so Kurt was just another stranger to him. He knew it would inevitably make things harder when the day came that Ollie would ask about his other parent and Blaine had always dreaded it. As it was, Oliver had no idea that the man in front of him was someone so closely tied to him. 

“Who’s this?”

Blaine winced. He’d almost forgotten that Kurt was standing there. This was it. He took a deep breath. “This is my son Oliver. Ollie, this is my friend, Kurt.”, he introduced and Ollie gave Kurt a small wave couple with an uncharacteristically shy, “Hi.”

If he thought he’d seen Kurt angry before, it was nothing compared to the look of loathing directed towards him and at Ollie. If Kurt hated him, then fine. He’d accepted that fact a long time ago, but to see him direct that and towards his innocent baby killed him inside. Ollie hadn't done anything to deserve it. 

“Congratulations.”, Kurt said tightly. “I didn’t know. I would have sent you and Eli a gift.” Even after all this time, to see the proof of Blaine’s betrayal was too much to handle and in truth, the thought that his ex had gone and made a family with someone else while he’d been broken and alone in New York sent him into a jealous rage. Looking at Oliver, Kurt knew he had to have been born not too long after they broke up.

“Who?”, Blaine asked absentmindedly, gently swatting Oliver’s hands away to keep him from grabbing his phone.

“Eli. That _is_ his father’s name isn’t it? Or did you “just hook up” with so many people that you can’t remember?”, he said, using air quotation marks to mimic what Blaine had told him that night all those years ago.

That was it. Clearly this conversation wasn't going to be as civil as he hoped and Blaine wasn’t going to let Kurt insult him in front of his son. No matter what he’d done in the past. He swiftly lowered Ollie to the floor and told him to go back in the room and wait for him there with a stern look that said not to argue when he saw the beginnings of a pout forming on the boy’s face. When Ollie disappeared inside, he turned around to face Kurt who had folded his arms in front of him defiantly.

“I get it, okay? I messed up and I'm sorry. _I'm sorry_.”, Blaine apologized, owning what he'd done. He didn't know how many times he could say the same thing before Kurt would believe that he never intentionally set out to hurt him. That he wasn't this monster Kurt had made him out to be. “I hurt you and I ruined any chance of us ever being together again, but you have no right to talk to me like that. I know who my son’s father is." He took a deep breath. "Because he's standing right in front of me." 

"Ollie's full name is Oliver James...Hummel.", Blaine continued. “He’ll be four in September.”

“What are you talking about? It's not. He can't be-.”, Kurt stumbled trying to make sense of what he was being told.

“He's yours, Kurt.”, Blaine said firmly. “Did you even look at him? God...he looks just like you.” Blaine could practically see the wheels turning in Kurt’s mind as he put together all the pieces and a million different emotions flickered across his face all at once. He looked at Blaine in disbelief. This was not what Kurt expected when he got on a flight back to Lima. To first find out that his dad was terminally ill and now that he had a son that was cruelly hidden from him for years was just too much. 

Kurt’s mind drifted to Ollie whose face was etched permanently in his memory. The freckles, the eyes as clear as marbles. The hint of baby chub filling his small face out that Kurt himself hadn’t lost until the summer before his Freshman year.

“How dare you.”, Kurt snarled, his voice low and dangerous. “How could you keep something like this from me? I had a right to know!”

“I _tried_ to tell you.", Blaine argued. “I called and texted you over a hundred times. I left messages with Rachel, at your job, you never answered.”, he said, voice cracking. “You pushed me out of your life, you didn’t want anything to do with me!”

“So this is my fault?”

“That’s not what I’m saying. But you never gave me a chance to explain what happened. I tried being honest-

Kurt’s look was incredulous. “ _Explain_? Explain what exactly? That while I was busy killing myself trying to make a name for myself and find a home for _both_ of us in New York, you went out and slept with the first guy that showed you a little bit of attention because you felt left out? Unacceptable!”

And just like that, all the guilt from what he’d done came crashing down on him like pain from an open wound and he deflated. A quick glance around told him that they had gained some unwanted attention with their arguing. A few people had come out of their rooms and the staff was staring at them from the nurse’s station, whispering to one another and probably deciding if they should intervene.

Blaine shook his head. “I...I can’t do this with you right now.”

As he turned to leave, Kurt’s hand wrapped around his wrist and tugged him back. “No. You’re not running away from this Blaine.”

“Stop it Kurt. Let me go.”, he said yanking his arm away, but Kurt’s grip was stronger. He had apparently bulked up over the years. 

“What the hell is going on out here?”, a voice rang out. They both looked over to see Burt leaning weakly against the door frame of his room for suppprt with Ollie peeking out from behind him, wide eyed.

Just then, Carole walked up and exchanged a long look with Burt. He nodded at her and her hand rested in comfort on his shoulder for a moment before she bent down to Ollie’s level. “Come on cutie. Why don’t we let the grown-ups talk and you can come help me deliver the lunches. How does that sound?” Ollie nodded mutely, bitiing his lower lip and took her offered hand. 

Blaine smiled at his son reassuringly as they walked past them to let him know that everything was okay. Kurt’s eyes were following the pair as well, focused in on Ollie like he couldn’t believe he was real. And if Blaine was being honest, somewhere under the anger and the hurt, Kurt looked terrified. 

Burt eyed where Kurt’s hand was still gripped tightly around Blaine’s wrist and sighed heavily. Guess the cat was out of the bag now. “Both of you, in the room. _Now_.”, he commanded with no room for argument.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Damn! Just as Blaine realizes he has feelings for Sebastian, here comes Kurt.
> 
> Anywho, you know the drill. COMMENTS, kudos, subs, and bookmarks are loved and very much appreciated. Tell me what you think ♥
> 
> .... also if you're bored, I have about ten other stories you can read....


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So I'm back with another chapter. YAY! Hopefully you guys enjoy this. It's a little bit of a "Fix-it" chapter with lots of Burt and Kurt action so we can get the ball rolling, but there's still lots more to come. There's Sebastian [ Kurt and Sebastian scenes should be fun to write since they hate each other :) ] and Adam to deal with. Blaine and Kurt have to sort their relationship out and Kurt has to get close to Ollie. Also, the verdict is still out on Burt's health. You'll just have to stick around to see what happens.

Burt came in behind Kurt and Blaine and closed the door behind him. “What’s wrong with you two huh? You’re grown men and you’re shouting at each other in the middle of a freaking hospital ward? Blaine, I’m sure you were raised better than that and Kurt, I _know_ for a fact that you were.”

“We weren’t shouting. We were having a conversation.”, Kurt protested. He was already on edge and being scolded like a child wasn’t helping anything. He shot a glance over at Blaine who had gone silent with a blank expression on his face save for the tear trek going down his cheek. Kurt didn’t know what he was so upset about. He should be the one upset. He was the one who missed out on everything with his son, not Blaine. 

“A conversation I heard all the way over the television and Oliver’s yammering?”, Burt deadpanned. “Look. I’m a dying man and I’ve had enough. This ends now. It’s not the time or the place for any of this. Especially when a child is sitting in the other room.”

Kurt huffed. “I’m sorry dad, but I don’t see how any of this is your business. This is between me and Blaine. You don’t know what you’re talking about.”, he snapped. If his dad knew the truth about what Blaine had been hiding, about Oliver being his son, he would be furious too. Without a doubt. 

Burt was stunned. “Is this how people in New York talk to their parents? With no respect?” The man standing in front of him was a complete stranger. This was not the same person he raised. Burt suddenly felt weak and stumbled to the side a bit; Blaine immediately rushing over to help him onto the bed.

Kurt’s face flushed with shame. “Dad, I-”  
“Let me tell you something.”, Burt said cutting Kurt off. “When my grandson comes running to me, scared out of his mind and telling me his father is outside fighting, then yeah. It is _my business_.”

Kurt frowned. _My grandson._ Suddenly everything made sense. The nurse calling Blaine his brother. Blaine being at the hospital and getting in touch with Rachel. Why Oliver and his dad seemed so familiar with each other. “You knew?”, he said as more of a statement than a question. “You knew all this time that I had a son and you never said anything. How could you do that to me?”, Kurt whispered in disbelief. 

Burt didn't say anything. He didn't have to. His silence was confirmation enough. Kurt's eyes flickered from his dad to Blaine and back to his dad again. He could feel the cold, harsh sting of betrayal slap him in the face. 

Burt shook his head tiredly. "Believe me Kurt, none of this was done to hurt you. I know you don't want to hear it right now, but it's the truth. Things happened and we all did the best we could in this situation." 

"The best you could do? You helped him lie to me for four years dad! Four years.", he yelled, angrily gesturing towards Blaine. "What kind of father does that to their son?!", Kurt yelled. 

"It wasn't his fault!", Blaine cut in desperately, finally breaking into the conversation. He knew this would happen. It was killing him to see them argue like this. "I asked him not to tell you about Oliver. Don't blame him. He's the only family you have Kurt. You need each other." 

Kurt shook his head, blinded by anger and hurt. "I don't need him. I don't need anyone.", Kurt spat bitterly before storming out of the room. 

☉☉☉☉☉☉☉☉☉☉☉☉☉☉☉☉☉☉☉☉☉☉☉☉

Kurt let his head fall on the steering wheel of the rental he’d picked up at the airport, tears of frustration running down his face.. His phone buzzed across the leather of the passenger’s seat and he didn’t need to look at it to know who it was. Adam had been calling him since he landed. He had planned on calling him after he picked his dad up and got him back to the house, but that plan had gone to hell.

How was he supposed to tell his fiancé’, the person he had agreed to marry, that he had a four year old son that he never knew anything about. And not only that, but that his dad was somehow in on the whole game of deception. He felt sick to his stomach. 

Would Adam even want to marry him after all of this? Thia was a lot for anyone to deal with, even someone as sweet and understanding as Adam. It wasn’t just Kurt anymore. He now came with a lot of extra baggage and problems. Kurt wiped the tears from his eyes and started up the car. He needed to get himself together and figure this out.

☉☉☉☉☉☉☉☉☉☉☉☉☉☉☉☉☉☉☉☉☉☉☉☉

As soon as Sebastian walked through the door of Blaine’s apartment, he was greeted by Oliver’s small form securely attaching to his leg. “Jolly Ollie man! What’s up?”

“Daddy is sad. He said he doesn’t feel good.”, Oliver sniffled into his pants leg. Sebastian frowned and looked around, not seeing Blaine anywhere which wasn’t a good sign. He sighed and ruffled Oliver’s hair. “Don’t worry about it, I’ll fix it. Let’s get you something to eat first? I brought noodles.”, he said holding up the bag so Oliver could see.

Oliver pulled back and his eyes lit up at the prospect of eating his favorite food. Once Oliver was successfully set up in front of the tv with a bowl of noodles, Seb sat his and Blaine’s plates aside on the counter for later. “I’ll be right back bud. I’m gonna go check on your daddy.”, he told the little boy. 

“O-fway!”, Oliver called through a mouthful of food. 

Sebastian walked down the hall and pushed softly on Blaine’s slightly opened bedroom door. The room was completely dark, but he could still make out Blaine’s curled up form laying on the bed, facing the wall. He cracked the door a little more so they could keep an ear out for Ollie. Without words, he toed off his shoes and climbed in behind Blaine; hugging him close. 

Feeling the contact, Blaine immediately broke down into tears, unable to hold them back anymore. Sebastian just smoothed back his hair, whispering soothing nothing in his ear and held him tighter, letting him cry it all out.

☉☉☉☉☉☉☉☉☉☉☉☉☉☉☉☉☉☉☉☉☉☉☉☉

Burt sat in his living room nursing a beer even though he knew he shouldn’t be drinking. Despite his best efforts, he couldn’t help but to re-play the events of the day in his mind. Especially the look on Kurt’s face when he asked him what kind of father he was and said he didn’t need him. 

Rationally, he knew it was just the anger and bitterness talking, but it still hurt nonetheless. He kept trying to think of what Lizzie would have had to say about everything. Things would have been so much easier if she was still there with him. They probably wouldn’t have gotten into this mess in the first place. She would have stormed on a plane to New York, grabbed Kurt by the ear and made him come home whether he liked it or not. She probably would have found a way to get those two back together as well. Not for the first time, he wondered if keeping Oliver a secret had ruined his relationship with his son forever. 

The sound of the bell ringing broke him from his melancholy thoughts and he grunted, getting off the couch. “I’m comin, I’m comin.”, he yelled on his way to the door. 

He opened it and was actually surprised to see Kurt standing there. His eyes were still full of mistrust, but he was there.

Burt folded his arms. "You’re still here.", he observed. "I thought you would have been on the first flight back to New York or at a fancy hotel or something by now.”

Kurt cleared his throat and ran a hand down the back of his neck. “Well, the Lima Inn isn’t exactly the Hilton... and it was kinda already full. There’s a dental convention or something going on.”, Kurt said with an eye roll.

Burt chuckled at that. This, this was the Kurt Hummel he knew. The little boy who used to lug out his mother's old tea set every Sunday afternoon and insist that they have brunch because that's "What mama would have wanted." The boy who had overcome the challenges of being an openly gay teen in Lima, Ohio and went on to find his wings as a successful designer in new York living his dreams. The boy who was now the man standing before him looking more like a lost child than ever before. 

"I don't forgive you. Not yet and not completely. But I've been thinking and I realize that I need to be here. So I'm staying for a while. ", Kurt continued. They exchanged a long look before Burt stepped to the side and held out his arm, beckoning him inside. "Welcome home kid.", he said patting Kurt on the back and pulling him into a side hug.

☉☉☉☉☉☉☉☉☉☉☉☉☉☉☉☉☉☉☉☉☉☉☉☉

Some time later, Burt found Kurt curled up in a chair in the living room staring off into space. He would be lying if he said he didn’t feel a strange sense of peace at having Kurt at home again. Kurt looked at his phone and sighed, deciding to just turn it off. Adam was still calling non-stop and Kurt had only been able to respond with a curt message of, “I’m okay.”, which of course didn’t go over well. 

Burt handed Kurt a beer and sat down in the chair opposite him. Kurt raised an eyebrow questioningly. Burt had never offered Kurt alcohol. “It’s been a rough day. I figured you might need a drink.”, he explained. “Sorry I don’t have anything fancier. I know you probably prefer wine or something.”

Kurt huffed in amusement with a small smile. “It’s fine dad, thanks.”  
Burt took a swig from his own bottle. “So...how you holdin up?”

Kurt sighed. “I don’t really know.”, he said slowly. “It doesn’t even feel real yet. That I’m somebody’s dad. I don’t know if I’m ready for this.”

Burt hummed thoughtfully. “That's the thing about becoming a parent. You're never ready. You’re 23 and every time I see you, I still can’t believe I’m your dad. When your mom first told me she was pregnant, I walked around like a zombie for a good three months. I didn't know what I was gonna do with a kid. Hell, I could barely take care of your mother. We were in it together though. And when she passed, it was just me. I was scared to death that I was going to mess you up somehow, but I think we made out okay. ” 

“Yeah...we did.”, Kurt agreed softly, with a small smile. He might not have been completely in the wrong, but he did feel bad about the extent to which he let his anger take ahold of him and especially the way he spoke to his father. "I owe you an apology. I’m sorry about how I acted earlier. There was no excuse for it, I was completely out of line, and I hope you don’t hate me.”

“You’re my son Kurt. _Nothing you can do would ever make me hate you_. I might not like some of the things you do or say, but I’ll never hate you.”, he said firmly. “And to be honest, I can’t say I didn’t deserve it. I don’t know what I would have done if I was in your shoes.”

Kurt fiddled with the bottle in between his fingertips. “I guess I’m just trying to figure out _why_? Why didn’t he want me in Oliver’s life? It’s one thing to cheat on me, but does he really hate me that much?”

“I don’t think it was ever about hating you Kurt.", Burt replied honestly. He knew how much Blaine cared about Kurt then and how much he still does. "I can’t give you all his reasons, but I know it wasn’t easy for him. He was 17 years old, alone, and faced with becoming a parent. With you two’s relationship being over and then his parents bailing on him, it broke him. His whole world crashed down and I’ve spent a long time trying to help him build it up again. For both his and Oliver’s sake.”

“What do you mean, his parents bailing on him?”, Kurt asked with a frown.

Burt sighed heavily. He knew that Blaine should be the one to tell Kurt all of this, but he felt like Kurt needed to know the full story before he went to confront Blaine. 

“He doesn’t like to talk about it, but they weren’t happy about his decision to keep the baby. They set up a couple to adopt Oliver without even telling Blaine. When he woke up after a nap, there were strangers in his hospital room cooing over Oliver in his bed and taking pictures. He refused to sign the adoption papers and his parents threw him out. He showed up here in the middle of the night with the baby and we haven’t seen or heard from them since.”, he finished.

Kurt was silently fuming after hearing the story. His heart ached for what Blaine and Oliver had gone through. He can’t say that if he’d known about the baby that things with Blaine would have worked out romantically, but Blaine wouldn’t have been alone and his jerk parents would never have been able to even think about getting their hands on their baby. 

Then he remembered the broken look on Blaine’s face when he said Oliver wasn’t his and as he tried to apologize to Kurt and he instantly felt guilty. It was like he had taken crazy pills. He was the one that had been lied to and somehow he still managed to feel like the ass in this situation.

He closed his eyes and buried his face in his hands. Yes, it still hurt like hell. Yes, he was still angry, but he knew he needed to talk to Blaine. Really talk this time. Hopefully without all the yelling and pointing fingers. 

Before today, Kurt had been happy. He had a life in New York. Employees. Friends. A home. And now, a big piece of him was here in Lima. Oliver. Through all the arguing, he had almost forgotten about the most important thing. His son. There was no way he could go back to New York without making things right.

**Author's Note:**

> As per usual, COMMENTS, kudos, bookmarks, subscriptions, etc. are always appreciated and loved. Tell me what you think <3


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